Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 15th February, 2018

15th February, 2018.

Where on EARTH, do I start … ?

No, really, where … ?

Well, for starters?

My phone’s gone and bloody well died!

Which is bloody annoying.

Frankly, I really don’t need the expense of buying a new one: whether I get it from CeX, or somewhere pricier.

It’s all … 

Well … 

Annoying!

~≈§≈~

On the OTHER hand … 

On the other hand, I’ve got a secret admirer … !

Someone at work, it seems.

I’ve even got half an idea of whom: and bless, it’s a nice gesture from someone who’s happily spoken for!

Half my age, very attractive, bright as a button … and happily spoken for!

Either way, I can’t complain too much!

It is a nice gesture …

~≈§≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga* and Debbi† putting in there answers: with both scoring ten out of ten.

 Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1) 15th February, 1883, saw the birth of writer, Arthur Henry Sarsfield Ward.   What was his better known pen-name?

Q2) More to the point, what character was Ward’s best known literary creation?

Q3) 15th February, 1874, saw the birth of which Arctic explorer?

Q4) 15th February, 1971, saw the UK introduce the decimal version of its coinage.   Which current UK coin has the most edges?

Q5) 15th February, 1989, saw Soviet troops pull out of where?

Q6) What’s that country’s capital city?

Q7) Finally … 15th February is ENIAC Day: marking the world’s first general purpose, digital computer.   It’s marked … in which US city?

Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1) 14th February is Saint Valentine’s Day.   The relevant Saint Valentine, Saint Valentine of Terni, is the patron saint of love, and what else: shepherds, beekeepers or milk maids?

A1) Beekeepers.

Q2) Saint Valentine’s Day is celebrated by lovers.   Who was the Roman goddess of love: Aphrodite, Freya or Venus?

A2) Venus.   (Eros, Roman god of love, was said to be her son.)

Q3) Who was the Greek goddess of love: Aphrodite, Freya or Venus?

A3) Aphrodite.   (Aphrodite was also the goddess of Beauty.)

Q4) Who was the Norse goddess of love: Aphrodite, Freya or Venus?

A4) Freya.   (Frigg — where modern English gets the rude word for oral sex — was the Norse goddess of marriage, and Queen of Asgard.   She had a servant called Lofn, who was  goddess of forbidden love.)

Q5) Which British publishers were founded in 1908: and bought by a Canadian company in 1971?

A5) the publishers that defined romance: Mills And Boon.

Q6) A racey romantic novel — usually with a historical setting — is known as a bodice … what?

A6) Bodice ripper.

Q7) H. G. Wells wrote what kind of romance?

A7) Scientific romances: the phrase was an early term for science fiction.   (It’s not a story where someone falls in love with a robot.   You want that … ?   There’s at least one Isaac Asimov story, and a LOT of websites!)

Q8) Romantic film, Me Before You starred which Game of Thrones actress?

A8) The Mother of Dragons, herself, Emilia Clarke.

Q9) 1996 saw the release of Baz Luhrmann directed version of Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet.   Leonardo DiCaprio played Romeo.   Who played Juliet?

A9) Claire Danes.

Q10) Finally … who released the 1948 album, St. Valentine’s Day?

A10) Bing Crosby‡.

Here’s a thought …

“The older I get, the greater power I seem to have to help the world; I am like a snowball - the further I am rolled the more I gain.”

Susan B. Anthony, February 15, 1820 – March 13, 1906.

And, as a way of marking Britain’s best known reggae band?

I give you a tune to mark Ali Campbell’s birthday … 

And remind you today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.

Have a good day … 

*        Yeah: I kind of know what you mean, there, Olga: my kid sister, Ruth, laughed her head off at Omen 3: The Final Conflict.   I don’t think she’s come off too badly.   As for Oskar and Eli … ?   They made that movie!   (I can sort of see why it would have an appeal to a youngster, there.)

†        Actually, Debbi, did you ever seen the TV version of Tinker, Tailor?   With Alec Guinness?   It’s a much more slowly paced piece, but even more watchable than the film!   And Guinness performance?   Apparently, Guinness modelled his version of Smiley on Sir Maurice Oldfield: former head of MI6.   (Fleming calls that chief, M.   The role, in the real world … ?   Is known as C.)

‡      Altogether, now … “It … went … straight …”